Viola Beach climbing charts thanks to fan campaign after tragic deaths

The British band were involved in a fatal automobile accident while in Sweden for the Where's the Music? festival

Viola Beach, who were from Warrington and had been hailed as one of the UK’s hottest prospects for 2016

Viola Beach has entered the UK charts following the band's tragic deaths in Sweden.

Their debut single 'Swings & Waterslides' is currently sitting at number 5 on the UK iTunes charts, though it may climb further in the light of an impassioned fan campaign to have the song reach number 1. Following the news of their deaths on Sunday, fans gathered on social media to launch the campaign, which has seen the track rising in numbers ever since. 

Hailing from Warrington, the band's members were Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe, and Jack Dakin. All four men, alongside their manager Craig Tarry, were killed on the outskirts of Stockholm; their car falling 80ft from a bridge into the canal below. 
 

The band's label Communion had previously announced all proceeds from their latest single, 'Boys that Sing', will be donated to the bands members' and managers' families. “Everyone here at Communion is in a state of total shock and sorrow, and our thoughts go out to the families and friends of Craig and the band," Communion's statement read.

"Viola Beach had only recently come into the Communion family, and had everything going for them – great songs, passion, talent, drive… everything that a band should have. To sit down with the band was to sit down with a group of guys whose band you wanted to be in, and to be in the presence of a band who knew just what it would take to make it." They have not clarified, however, where the profits from the sale of 'Swings & Waterslides' will go.

Tributes have poured in for the band, who were set to support Blossoms on their February and March UK and Ireland tour, as well as spots at SXSW, The Great Escape, Latitude, and T in the Park.